Who is Robert Fico? All about the Slovakian Prime Minister

Robert Fico  is a Slovak politician who served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia since 2023, having previously served in the position from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018

Early Life

Robert Fico was born on September 15, 1964, in the town of Topoľčany in Slovakia’s Nitra Region.

His parents, Ľudovit Fico and Emilie Ficová, worked as a forklift operator and in a shoe store, respectively.

He grew up with two siblings in the village of Hrušovany before moving to Topoľčany at the age of six.

Education

Fico attended the Gymnasium of Topoľčany and later enrolled in the Law Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava.

He graduated in 1986 and completed his mandatory military service as an assistant military investigator.

Fico later earned his PhD with a thesis on “The death penalty in Czechoslovakia” and pursued postgraduate studies in London.

Career

In 1999, Fico founded the Direction – Social Democracy (Smer–SD) party, which he has led since its inception. He served as Prime Minister of Slovakia from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018, making him the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s history. Fico’s political positions have been described as populist.

After a brief period in opposition, Fico returned as prime minister following the 2012 parliamentary election. In 2014, he ran for president but lost to Andrej Kiska. Fico resigned in 2018 amid a political crisis following the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak.

Fico’s party won the most votes in the 2023 parliamentary election, and he began his fourth term as prime minister. However, his government has faced criticism for its refusal to join a coalition in providing military aid to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.

Assassination Attempt

On May 15, 2024, Fico was hospitalized after an assassination attempt. While initially reported as “life-threatening,” he is now expected to survive, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tomáš Taraba.

Personal Life

Fico is married to Svetlana Ficová, a lawyer and associate professor. They have one son, Michal, who studied at the University of Economics in Bratislava. In addition to Slovak, Fico is fluent in English and Russian.